Belt-tightener



(No Model.)

. S. G. HUNTER.

BELT TIGHTENER.

Patented July 17, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

SETH G. HUNTER, OF \VATERTOlVN, NEV YORK.

BELT-=TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,130, dated July 17, 1888.

A pplicai ion filed March 12,1928.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH G. HUNTER, of 'Watertown, in the county of Jefferson, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Belt-Tighteners, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved belt-tightener; Fig. 2, alongitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 3 a side elevation representing the tightener in position for use. Fig. 4. is a detail.

Likeletters of reference indicate correspond ing parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to that class of belttighteners which exert a gravitative pressure on the belt; and it consists in the certain novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improve ment will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the tightcncr, B the roll, and O the belt.

The body A consists of two parallel arms, m as, having their lower portions, 2 z, curved inwardly and journalcd at their lower ends on a rod or pintle, v. The pintle is secured horizontally in the head I) of a rod, (1, which is in turn adj nstably secured in a cone shaped bracket, 1), by a set-screw,f.

The parallel portions of the arms :0 are hollow, as shown atg in Fig. 2, and are connected by a rod, 2', which is screw-threaded at eachend and provided with nuts in, asleeve ortube, h, being disposed on said rod between said arms, so that when the nuts are turned in the sleeve will serve as a brace to keep the arms properly separated, the rod, nuts, and sleeve holding them rigidly connected. A hanger, Z, having two u pwardlyprojecting outwardlycurved arms, m, (see Fig. 3,) is disposed on the Serial No. 268,128. (No model.)

outer end of each arm or, said hangers being respectively provided with rods 1), which are inserted in holes in said arms and rendered adjustable therein by screws q.

The roll 13 is preferably composed of metal, and in length should be about the width of the belt 0. It is journaled in bearings rby means of ashaft, t, said bearings being pivoted between the arms m of the hangers Z on bolts w, and provided with oil-cnpsj for lubricating said shaft.

In the use of my improvement the bracket D is secured to the wall or post H, conveniently near the belt 0, so that the roll B will stand at right angles to the vertical face of the belt. The bracket is also so disposed that when said roll engages the belt, as shown in Fig. 3, the body A of the tightener will preferably stand at an angle of about twenty-five degrees thereto. As the belt stretchesin use, the body A will fall and gradually approach a horizontal position, thus exerting a constant strain or pressure on the belt and keeping it tight, in a manner that will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters without a more explicit description.

It is found that by adjusting the body of the tightener at an angle of about twenty five degrees the best results are attained; but this may be varied according to circumstances. To approximately preserve this angle as the belt stretches and prevent the tightener from falling too far, the screwf is loosened and the bar d withdrawn from the bracket D the required distance and secured by said screw, thus obviating the necessity of taking up the belt. \Vhen tighteners as sometimes constructed are used, much time and labor are frequently required in arranging the roll at the proper angle with respect to the bcltran objection which is obviated in my improvement, the roll being readily adjusted to stand at right angles to the face of the belt by means of the screws q, rods 1), and pivoted bearings '1", thus enablingit to be used as readily with a quartor-turn or reel belt as when the belt is upright.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a belt-tightener, the combination of the followinginstrumentalities, to wit: abracket,a

2 sealed rod adjustably secured in said bracket and provided with a pintle, a bodyjournaled on said pintle, hangers adj ustably secured to said body, bearings pivoted in said hangers, and a roll journaled in said pivoted bearings, all being arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

2. Inabelt-tightener, thebodyA,havingthe hollow arms 00, in combination with the rod (7, having thehead I), provided with the pintle o, the bracket D, provided with the adjustingscrewf, and the roll B, journaled in bearings secured in said arms in such a manner that said roll may be adjustedlongitudinally with respect to the belt, substantially as described.

3. In a belt-tightener,the body A, having the hollow arms 00, in combination with the bearings r, pivoted in adjustable hangers on said arms, and the roll B, 'ournaled in said bearings, said body being adj ustably secured in a bracket fastened to a post or wall, substantially as set forth.

4. In a belt-tightener, arms 00, each having an inwardlycurved portion, z, the straight portions being provided with longitudinal arms, a hanger,.l, adj ustably secured on each of said arms, said hangers being respectively provided with arms at and rods 1'), boxes or bearings r, pivoted in the arms, a roll, B,journaled on the rod 25 in said pivoted boxes or bearings, a bracket, D, and a rod, (1, adjustably secured in said bracket and having the head I), provided with the pintle v, the curved portions z of the arms 00 being pivoted on said pintle, substantially as described.

5. In a belt-tightener, a bracket, a rod adjustabl y secu red in said bracket, a body jointed to said rod" and provided with arms having holes in their outer ends, hangers adjustably secured on said arms, boxes or bearings pivoted in said hangers, and a roll journaled in said pivoted bearings, all combined and arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

SETH G. HUNTER. 

